Protest Petitions

If adjacent owners disagree with a proposed development application, a protest petition may be filed. Property owners within a 200-foot radius of the development, known as the notification ring, are eligible to sign the petition.

For applications adjacent to unincorporated land, the eligibility extends to 1,000 feet outside the city limits.

A map of the notification ring is included in Planning Commission staff comments. Planning staff also can help identify eligible owners.

A protest petition is valid only if the owners of 20 percent of the land area within the notification ring have signed the petition. Protest petitions must be submitted to the City Clerk's Office at City Hall by the end of business, 14 days after the Planning Commission meeting where action was taken on the application.

Rezoning, special use permits and preliminary/revised plans

For these applications, if a valid protest petition is submitted, 10 of the 12 councilmembers must approve the application during a City Council meeting. Without the protest, only seven votes in favor of the application are required.

Preliminary plans for non-residential uses in a residential district

For non-residential uses in a residential district (generally churches and schools), the action of the Planning Commission is final, unless a valid protest petition is filed. For these applications, a valid protest petition will require the application to be approved by the City Council with at least seven votes in favor.

Contact the Current Planning Division, 913-895-6217, for detailed information about the protest petition process. You also may wish to contact a private attorney to ensure your petition is completed correctly.